U.S. patent number 5,234,370 [Application Number 07/782,217] was granted by the patent office on 1993-08-10 for posable doll hair and method of manufacture for the same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Mattel, Inc.. Invention is credited to Wallace Shapero, John Sneddon.
United States Patent |
5,234,370 |
Shapero , et al. |
August 10, 1993 |
Posable doll hair and method of manufacture for the same
Abstract
A doll supports a quantity of rooted hair fabricated to provide
a posable or cold setting characteristic. The posable hair is
formed of an amorphous thermoplastic material preferably having a
high molecular weight in a compound including plasticizers, heat
stabilizers and lubricants. The material is formed to provide a
combination of glass transition temperature characteristic and
hardness to produce the cold setting or posable quality.
Inventors: |
Shapero; Wallace (West Hills,
CA), Sneddon; John (Santa Monica, CA) |
Assignee: |
Mattel, Inc. (El Segundo,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
25125374 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/782,217 |
Filed: |
October 24, 1991 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/394; 132/53;
428/16; 428/542.2; 446/385 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
3/44 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
3/00 (20060101); A63H 3/44 (20060101); A63H
003/44 (); A41G 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;446/394,385,296,319,372
;428/15,16,542.2 ;132/201,53,56 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yu; Mickey
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ekstrand; Ray A.
Claims
That which is claimed is:
1. A posable hair doll comprising:
a doll head having a hair-supporting portion thereon; and
a plurality of posable synthetic hair filaments each formed of a
posable nonmetallic material being cold formable into a desired
shape or set and tending to retain said desired shape or set when
released and being restorable to their previous shape by heatless
brushing or combing,
said synthetic hair filaments being formed of an amorphous
thermoplastic material having a glass transition temperature
between zero degrees centigrade and plus twenty degrees centigrade
and a hardness between eighty and one hundred Shore A
Durometer.
2. A posable hair doll as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
amorphous thermoplastic defines a high molecular weight
characteristic.
3. A posable hair doll as set forth in claim 2 further including a
plurality of non-posable synthetic hair filaments interspersed
throughout said posable synthetic hair filaments.
4. A posable hair doll as set forth in claim 3 wherein said posable
synthetic hair filaments and said nonposable synthetic hair
filaments are generally equally distributed upon said doll
head.
5. A posable hair doll as set forth in claim 3 wherein at least
some of said posable synthetic hair filaments are grouped to form a
posable pony tail.
6. For use in combination with a doll, a plurality of hair
filaments formed of a material comprising a compound of not less
than 60% nor more than 75% by weight of a high molecular weight
polymer or copolymer of polyvinyl chloride; and not less than 20%
nor more than 35% by weight of a plasticizer; and not less than 3%
nor more than 10% by weight of a heat stabilizer; and not less than
0.5% nor more than 1.5% by weight of a lubricant.
7. For use in combination with a doll, a plurality of hair
filaments formed of a material comprising a compound of not less
than 60% nor more than 75% by weight of a high molecular weight
polymer or copolymer of polyvinylidene chloride; and not less than
20% nor more than 35% by weight of a plasticizer; and not less than
3% nor more than 10% by weight of a heat stabilizer; and not less
than 0.5% nor more than 1.5% by weight of a lubricant.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to dolls having synthetic hair and
particularly to dolls in which the hair is curled, crimped or
set.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The majority of dolls manufactured through the years have provided
some type of artificial or simulated hair to enhance the realism
and play appeal thereof. In the most common type of doll hair used
in recent years, a plurality of thin filaments formed from
materials such as polypropylene nylon or spun saran are grouped
into bundles of approximately ten to forty filaments each to form a
"yarn" which is then rooted within the doll head in a highly
automated process in which the yarn bundles are secured at spaced
intervals to the doll's head in a fixed attachment. Typically, the
machinery which performs the rooting operation also cuts the yarn
at the desired length to provide the appearance of typical human
hair. In general, the filaments used in artificial doll hair have
diameters of approximately one to three one thousandths of an inch
with the diameter being selected in accordance with the economic
and appearance factors considered by the manufacturer.
In most dolls it is desired that in addition to rooting a head of
hair, the hair be given some styling or curling for enhanced
appearances. The typical materials mentioned above may be curled by
the manufacturer prior to purchase using heat setting curling
factors which impart a more or less "permanent" curl or style to
the hair filaments. While the methods and parameters of such heat
setting are, to some extent, a matter of manufacturer's choice,
generally speaking the manufacturer uses one or more heated
mandrels upon which the hair is wound and thereafter heated above
the material's glass transition temperature. Typical temperatures
for the materials most commonly used are approximately one hundred
and ninety to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit. The hair is then
cooled while on the mandrel to permit the material to retain its
established curl or set afterwhich the mandrels are removed and the
hair styling is completed by careful manipulation. Such artificial
hairs of the materials typically used may, in some instances, be
set or styled using setting gels in which the chemical properties
of the hair are altered temporarily by the application of setting
gel to groups of hair fiber wound about styling mandrels or the
like. Thereafter, the hair dries and retains its newly acquired
set.
The problem with the commercially available hair fibers and methods
of styling and setting used therein is that they are very
intolerant of further use and manipulation by the child user such
as combing, brushing, resetting and similar anticipated play
patterns. Most presently available hair materials once set are not
easily combed to a straight condition or "combed out" and instead
often become brittle, broke and, in some cases, matted or tangled.
Once combing or brushing is accomplished notwithstanding the
accompanying hair damage, it is not susceptible to restyling or
recurling without the reapplication of heated mandrels or setting
gels. In general, manufacturers and consumer groups have
considerable objection to doll playsets which require heated
mandrels or curling irons or sometimes caustic and unpleasant
setting gels being placed in hands of young children. As a result,
very little if any success has been realized in providing realistic
synthetic hair for dolls which facilitates repeated comb-outs and
restyling in a satisfactory, safe and convenient manner.
Faced with need for restylable combable artificial hair,
practitioners in the art have attempted various processes and
compositions with very little success thus far. It has been found
that attempts to crimp and curl a variety of thermal plastic
polymers of the type available from conventional melt spin
processes have been unsuccessful due to the limited number of
polymers which can be successfully manufactured by melt spinning to
fibers resembling human hair. Certain amorphous polyester polymers
are capable of melt spin manufacture but have, when subjected to
styling and manipulation, been found unsatisfactory upon repeated
stressing and have suffered breakage and created a "frizzled"
appearance due to the irreversible deformation caused by attempts
to style and comb-out the doll hair.
Another approach tried by practitioners in the art has involved the
use of plastic coated thin wire either alone or in combination with
conventional hair fibers. While the plastic coated wire provides
the malleability and "posability" desired, it has a generally short
life and becomes quickly broken when repeatedly bent during
styling. In addition, such plastic coated wire hair generally is
subject to combing difficulties and becomes tangled, matted, broken
or simply cannot be combed after several hairstyles or sets have
been imposed.
The need for evermore improved play friendly and more usable
synthetic hair for dolls has prompted practitioners in the art to
attempt a number of approaches. For example, U.S. Pat. No.
3,955,587 issued to Dunn, et al. sets forth a CHANGEABLE SHAPE HAIR
PIECE AND METHOD OF STYLING AN ARTIFICIAL COIFFURE in which a
plurality of ductile filaments such as 37 to 43 gage plastic coated
wire are distributed throughout hair filaments in a manner such
that a small number of such ductile filaments may provide a setting
or holding force to influence a large number of standard synthetic
hair filaments. The hairstyle of the doll may then be reshaped by
deforming the standard hair and ductile filaments using
manipulation tools similar to hair rollers and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,682 issued to Bonafiglia, et al. sets forth
HAIR PIECES, WIG AND LIKE PRODUCTS which are formed having the
predominant hair simulating fiber formed of a blend of nylon-6 and
polyalkyl methacrylate which is formed into a filamentary material
and used to form a wig or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,843 issued to Hawtin, et al. sets forth
ARTIFICIAL HAIR for use in a hair piece comprising a plurality of
filaments of synthetic or regenerated polymeric material such as
cellulose triacetate formed in filaments having hollow interior
construction as either ring or open ring cross sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,235 issued to Doolittle sets forth a DECORATIVE
FEMALE HAIR PIECE in which a plurality of malleable tongues are
secured to a base member in a replaceable attachment. Each hair
tongue is surrounded by a plurality of synthetic fibers and retains
the shape of the malleable tongue to permit styling thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,291 issued to Kim sets forth an ARTIFICIAL HAIR
AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME for use in wigs and the like
comprising a multiplicity of synthetic fibrous yarns each formed
with a plurality of small waves having various sizes and extending
in various directions. Also, set forth is a method for
manufacturing such artificial hair which includes the steps of
forming and treating the synthetic fibrous yarns to create the
small waves thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,491 issued to Papageorgiou sets forth a HAIR
SIMULATING FIBER formed of a composite which includes a metallic
core member coated with a plastic material to form a fine strand.
The core member and/or the coating member may be flattened to
provide a strand which will exhibit curling characteristics and may
be readily styled by an operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,517,349 issued to Raditz sets forth an ARTIFICIAL
MUSTACHE CONSTRUCTION in which a synthetic mustache includes a pair
of elongated malleable metal frames extending outwardly from the
center portion of the fiber bundle to provide a malleable support
for each half of the artificial mustache.
The foregoing described prior art synthetic hair fabrications and
methods have enjoyed limited success and have not, to date,
provided the highly desirable characteristics of a posable or cold
set synthetic hair fiber suitable for use in dolls or the like.
There remains, therefore, a continuing need in the art for evermore
improved and more realistic synthetic hair fibers for doll hair
which facilitate and tolerate repeated setting and combing out
without becoming matted, tangled, brittle or broken.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to
provide an improved synthetic hair for use in dolls and the like.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide
a doll having posable hair which may be repeatedly styled and
combed out. It is a still more particular object of the present
invention to provide an improved posable doll hair and method of
manufacture for the same which may be posed or cold set by a child
user.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
posable hair doll comprises: a doll head having a hair-supporting
portion thereon; and a plurality of posable synthetic hair
filaments each formed of a posable nonmetallic material being cold
formable into a desired shape or set and tending to retain the
desired shape or set when released.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features of the present invention, which are believed to be
novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The
invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof,
may best be understood by reference to the following description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several
figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements and
in which:
FIG. 1 sets forth a typical doll head having the present invention
posable hair rooted thereon in a typical brushing or comb-out
process;
FIG. 2 sets forth an exemplary hair crimping operation being
performed on a portion of the present invention doll hair;
FIG. 3 sets forth an example of the completed crimping operation
for the present invention doll hair;
FIG. 4 sets forth an exemplary curling operation of the present
invention doll hair; and
FIG. 5 sets forth an exemplary hairstyle completed for the present
invention posable hair on a typical doll.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 sets forth a perspective view of a doll having posable hair
constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally
referenced by numeral 10. Doll 10 includes a head 11 which, in
accordance with conventional fabrication techniques, defines the
typical features of a doll and which is generally formed of a
molded plastic or foam material or the like. Head 11 further
includes a neck 12 which, in accordance with general fabrication
techniques, is coupled to a conventional doll body (not shown).
Head 11 further includes an outer skin 15 which is, in its
preferred form, colored and textured to resemble human skin. In
accordance with the present invention, a quantity of hair 13,
fabricated in the manner set forth below in greater detail, is
rooted to head 11 using conventional hair rooting techniques and
producing a hair line 14 along head 11 which defines the boundary
of hair 11. Hair 13 may be formed entirely of the present invention
posable hair or may include conventional hair filaments dispersed
therethrough. Further, as is seen in FIG. 5, a collection of
posable hair filaments may be grouped to form a posable pony tail
or similar styling.
In the operation set forth in FIG. 1 and in accordance with the
present invention, hair 13 may be readily straightened or combed
out using a conventional brush 20 having a plurality of hair
bristles 21. In a typical use of the present invention posable
hair, brush 20 may be embedded into a plurality or multiple strand
segment of hair 13 partially separating it from the remainder of
the hair on doll 10 and drawing brush 20 downwardly in the
direction indicated by arrow 22. This process may be carried on
repeatedly in a more or less typical hair brushing fashion by the
child user. In accordance with an important advantage of the
present invention described below in greater detail, the cold set
or posable characteristic of hair 13 readily accepts the brushing
action of brush 20 and readily parts and flows about bristles 21.
In addition, the combing action and straightening force applied to
the present invention posable hair by pulling brush 20 in the
direction of arrow 22 readily straightens hair 13 and removes any
of the previously imposed styling operations such as those set
forth below in greater detail. Thus, after a period of time, the
present invention posable hair assumes a casual generally
straightened appearance such as that shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 sets forth a perspective view of the doll of FIG. 1 showing
a typical hairstyling operation. Specifically, doll 10 includes a
head 11 having a neck 12 and supporting skin 15. As mentioned
above, a quantity of posable hair constructed in accordance with
the present invention 13 is rooted to skin 15 of doll head 11 in
accordance with a conventional rooting operation. In the styling
operation shown in FIG. 2, a segment of hair 13 generally
referenced by numeral 16 and including a multiple number of hair
strands has been separated from the remainder of hair 13 and drawn
outwardly. Hair segment 16 has been placed within a crimping dye 13
which should be understood to be representative of any number of
hairstyling devices which may be applied to the present invention
posable hair. Accordingly, crimping dye 20 is formed of a pair of
jaw portions 31 and 32 coupled in a pivotal attachment along a
hinge 33. In the particular example shown in FIG. 2, jaws 31 and 32
each define a plurality of corrugations or serrations 34 and 35
respectively which, in their preferred form, mate or nest with
their respective opposite jaw members. Thus, in the operation shown
in FIG. 2, hair segment 16 has been placed between jaw portions 31
and 32 and thereafter jaws 31 and 32 have been closed in the
directions indicated by arrows 36 and 37 to captivate hair segment
16 and force the multiple strands thereof to assume the
corrugations of the mating jaws. Conventional latch apparatus such
as flexible latches 38 and 39 are supported upon lower jaw 32 and
engage and captivate jaw 31 in a closed position to maintain the
crimping or setting action imposed upon hair segment 16.
In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention set
forth below in greater detail, posable hair segment 16 may be set
by a crimping dye such as dye 30 without the need to apply external
heat or chemicals to cause hair segment 16 to assume a set or pose
but rather posable hair segment 16 responds to the length of time
which the hair segment is maintained within crimping dye 30. Thus,
as is set forth below in greater detail, the degree to which the
present invention posable hair retains the cold set for pose
applied is determined largely by the time interval it spends in the
posed or crimped position. In this case, the time interval of
interest is the time period which hair segment 16 remains
captivated within crimping dye 30. It has been found that many sets
may be sufficiently imposed by utilizing setting periods in the
order of one or two minutes. On the other hand, it has also been
determined that substantially stronger hair sets may be imposed if
the setting time is increased to five to ten minutes. In any event,
once the desired crimp or styling set has been obtained, crimping
dye 30 may be opened by simply springing latches 38 and 39
outwardly in the direction of arrows 40 and 41 respectively which
freeze jaw 31 from jaw 32 and permits the removal of hair segment
16.
FIG. 3 sets forth the doll of FIG. 1 and 2 having the present
invention posable hair following the removal of crimping dye 30
from the operation in FIG. 2. Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 3, doll
10 having head 11 and neck 12 as described above and a quantity of
posable hair 13 constructed in accordance with the present
invention has received hair segment 16 following its release from
crimping dye 30 (seen in FIG. 2). In general conformity to the
corrugations and serrations of crimping dye 30 shown in FIG. 2,
hair segment 16 now forms a collection of peaks or rolls 45
interleaved with valleys or lower portions 46. In accordance with
the characteristics of posable hair 13 set forth below, peaks and
valleys 45 and 46 tend to remain within hair 13. In a normal
styling operation, of course, additional hair segments would be
separated from the remainder of hair 13 and undergo similar
crimping processes to crimp a substantial amount of hair 13. In
accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, the
repetition of the brushing process shown in FIG. 1 readily returns
hair 13 to the generally straight configuration. This straightening
process again is carried forward without the need for heat or
setting gels of any kind.
FIG. 4 sets forth an alternative curling or hair setting operation
from that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 for the doll shown in FIGS. 1
through 3. As can be seen, a segment of hair 13 generally
referenced by numeral 17 has been separated from the remainder of
hair 13 and wound upon a generally cylindrical curling rod 50
having a handle 51. Segment 15 is then rolled to form a generally
cylindrical curl 52. Once again, the degree of curling action is
largely dependent upon the time period that hair segment 17 remains
curled upon rod 50. In the normally anticipated play pattern, the
child user would most likely maintain curl 17 upon rod 50 for a
period of one to five minutes. Thereafter, curling rod 50 may be
removed from hair segment 17 allowing curl 52 to fall under the
influence of gravity. FIG. 4 also shows an additional hair segment
18 which has been subjected to the curling process being applied to
hair segment 17. As can be seen, hair segment 18 now forms a group
of loose generally spiralled curls 19 which have returned to the
remainder of hair 13.
FIG. 5 sets forth a typical hairstyle for the present invention
posable hair following the application of multiple cold set curls
using the technique of FIG. 4. It will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that any number of setting patterns and hairstyles may
be applied to hair 13 without departing from the spirit and scope
of the present invention. As mentioned above, hair 13 may be either
entirely composed of the present invention posable hair or may
include filaments of conventional hair mixed therein. Also, a
quantity of posable hair with or without conventional hair may be
grouped to form a pony tail 23 or other style element. In
accordance with an important aspect of the present invention,
posable hair 13 may be returned from the set shown in FIG. 5 to a
straight hairdo such as that shown in FIG. 1 by simply combing or
brushing hair 13 in a typical manner.
The present invention posable hair utilizes an amorphous
thermoplastic material having a glass transition temperature within
the range of zero degrees Centigrade to twenty degrees Centigrade
and having a hardness measured at seventy two degrees Fahrenheit of
approximately eighty five Shore A Durometer to ninety eight Shore A
Durometer. In its preferred form, the amorphous thermoplastic
materials selected are similar to molding and extrusion type
compounds which provide good heat stability and elongation of fifty
percent to four hundred percent while providing a tenacity of fiber
of a least one gram per denier. It has been determined that the
present invention posable hair readily achieves a crimp curl or
other configuration without the need for excessive crimping or
deforming force being applied. Instead, the present invention
posable hair exhibits a characteristic within which the time
interval overwhich the hair is crimped, curled or otherwise
configured becomes the important factor in determining the strength
of cold set applied. Because of the use of an amorphous
thermoplastic material having the combination of glass temperature
and hardness set forth above, excessive stresses upon the posable
hair filaments are not required due to the tendency of the polymer
molecule within the amorphous thermoplastic to rotate or relax or
in some cases orient to the new configuration. Thus, no stretching,
necking down, or other abuse of the fiber was evident after
repeated cycling in excess of one thousand cycles of
orientation.
The present invention posable hair may be fabricated using
amorphous thermoplastic materials such as polyvinyl chloride,
compounds similar to those used in molding and extrusion operations
as well as polyvinylidene chloride compounds or copolymers thereof
combined with plasticizers, lubricants, heat stabilizers, fillers
and colorants. Also blends of polyvinyl chloride and polyvinylidene
chloride and their copolymers such as polyvinyl acetate and
acrylonitrile.
While a number of amorphous thermoplastic materials may be used, it
has been found generally that those having higher molecular weights
exhibit preferred physical properties and are thus preferred
compounds for doll hair in accordance with the present invention.
It has been found that the following compound proportionate parts
have exhibited substantial advantage for the present invention
posable hair:
______________________________________ High molecular weight
polymer (or copolymer) of 100 parts polyvinyl chloride or
polyvinylidene chloride Plasticizer 40 parts Heat Stabilizer 7
parts Lubricant 1 part ______________________________________
In addition, coloring materials, anti-static agents and fillers may
be used sparingly as required.
What has been shown is a new and improved doll having posable hair
which permits the use of cold setting and crimping apparatus and
which provides a long lasting set or curl in a synthetic doll's
hair. The posable hair may be repeatedly combed out and reset
without tangling, matting, or splitting while maintaining excellent
appearance and continued use. The hair may be formed using a
variety of readily available amorphous thermoplastic materials by
establishing the glass transition temperature and hardness
relationship therein to provide the present invention posable
properties.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and
described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim in the
appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as
fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *